


Final Exam

by ani_bester



Category: Invaders (Marvel), Marvel, Winter Soldier - Fandom
Genre: Brainwashing, Cold War, Gen, Mind Control, Other, Russia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-17
Updated: 2012-11-17
Packaged: 2017-11-18 21:16:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/565399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ani_bester/pseuds/ani_bester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Toro thinks Bucky is watching over him before he has to ship out on a mission, but that's not quite right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Final Exam

The clock on the unadorned metal wall began to chime. It would be only a few minutes now before it was time for Toro to be transferred. 

"I still say they didn't need to drug me, Bucky." Toro pouted for what had to be the nine hundredth time in the five minutes since he'd drunk what the pretty blonde nurse had offered him. 

He said nothing. Sometimes it was better not to respond. 

Nearby, a plane engine started and he felt Toro begin to shake in his arms. In response, he rubbed Toro's back with a gentle, circular motion. "It's okay," 

"I know, Buck," Toro sighed. "I'm just nervous. It's so far away." 

He kept rubbing until the shaking spell passed. Toro yawned and his eyelids began to droop. "I'll miss you, Buck."

_Please fall asleep. I'm tired of this._

"Miss you too," he said. It seemed like a good answer. 

"Bucky, what if I mess up?"

_Then you'll be killed._

He forced a smiled. "You're not going to mess up, Toro. You're good at what you do, and you'll show the enemy what for."

Toro smiled, then yawned, "I'm gonna just take out some ammo –ammo," Toro yawned again. "Thingamajigs. Don't trust me with much more yet, not like they trust you."

_Trust him? Yeah sure, to baby-sit._

He glanced at his watch and shifted Toro. Damn but this drug took forever to take affect. 

"Wish they'd let me fight like you."

"Well, I am better than you. I- " He broke off horrified at the tone and words that had come out of him. He hadn't meant to say it, they had just tumbled out. He glanced down to see what damage he'd done; however, Toro still grinned, amusement flickering in his heavy lidded eyes. 

"Jerk," Toro laughed through yet another yawn. 

"Yeah well," he muttered, brushing Toro's hair back.

Toro moved away a little. "You hand is cold," he protested even as he fell asleep. 

_Finally_

He glanced to his left and saw two Spetsnaz shuffle toward him. They paused half way to him and eyed each other, then eyed Toro. 

"He's asleep you cowards. He's not going to set you on fire."

At the tone in his voice, both men hurried over, each man grabbing one of Toro's arms.  
 _idiots_

"He wouldn't set you on fire anyway," he muttered as Toro was dragged off. "He's been a good little communist for the last week." 

"Is that your expert opinion, Winter Soldier?"

He leapt to his feet and saluted, ignoring the numbness in his leg caused by holding the brainwashed American in his lap for such a long time. 

"Just a comment on how well Department X did their job, Sir."

Winter Soldier saw amusement in his superior's eyes. "I'll pass your confidence to them, but they don't share it. That one has been a disappointment, too unstable and curious." Karpov began to walk quickly toward the door and Winter Soldier followed him. "We could not even be sure he wasn't faking his loyalty to try and make an escape attempt on the plane."

"Yes, Sir."

General Karpov stopped and turned back around. "Tell me, Soldier, after this experience, have you any questions?"

"Questions, Sir?"

Karpov smiled. "Yes, questions. Things you did not understand or might want explained. If you do, you may pick one and ask it."

Winter Soldier paused and considered the odd command. There had been a host of things in connection with the American he'd not understood. The American had repeatedly called him a strange name, some of his reflexive response toward the American had been improper; in fact, he didn't even understand why the General had been so insistent the Winter Soldier be the one to watch the American.

However, he discarded those questions unimportant. After a few more agonizing moments trying to find something worth asking, Winter Soldier settled on easing his pride. 

"Sir, if you are unsure of the American's mental conditioning, why send him to fight in Korea?"

_I'm better than him_

General Karpov grinned and his eyes lit up in the possessive way that always made Winter Soldier's chest swell with pride and stomach twist with fear. "Because Soldier, the American passed his last test. I am quite content with his mental conditioning." 

Winter Soldier thought through that. It didn't make sense to him, but he'd used his one question and, after all, General Karpov hadn't said he'd understand the answer. 

"I trust you have no further questions, Soldier?"

"Of course not, sir," Winter Soldier responded.

"Good, then come along and we will see about finding a way for you to better serve Mother Russia."

"Thank You, Sir."


End file.
